


Feels Like The First Time

by AriaJoie



Series: A Kiss, Or Two, Or Three [2]
Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: Autumn in Hieron Spoilers, Canonical Character Death, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 22:06:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13133175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriaJoie/pseuds/AriaJoie
Summary: Jamil, Jace, and Addax decide to label things and realize they haven't been on, like, almost any dates ever.





	Feels Like The First Time

**Author's Note:**

> For the kind anon that requested a first date fic on tumblr. I wasn't planning to do a direct sequel to the other one but now here we are.

Jace, Addax, and Jamil all felt silly for how nervous they were. They had no reason to be, really. All three had spent hours at a stretch alone with the others individually, but nonetheless, each one found themselves triple checking their appearance in the mirror, remembering another thing they wanted to shove in a pocket. Oh! Just one more thing. Just in case. Didn't hurt to be prepared. Maybe that was the problem. They were three of the most prepared people in the galaxy on any given day, whether they were planning or training or on a mission, but thinking back, dates hadn't exactly been a common thing for any of them. 

Jace looked at himself one more time, only to find that the same lock of hair was refusing to sit properly. He ran a brush through it for what he promised himself was the last time, swearing at himself for even bothering. They'd both seen him get back from a training op and basically peel himself out of the Panther, they weren’t gonna call the date off because his hair was just short of perfect or his belt didn't match his shoes. Shit, his belt didn't match his shoes. He ripped it off and grabbed a brown one, putting it on as he shut the door to his quarters behind him and started down the hallway.

Addax meanwhile wouldn't stop sweating, and it was starting to worry him, which was only making the problem worse. It wasn't an unheard of problem, but it had been a long time since it had actually presented an issue. It was so bad during his first flight with Peace that after they returned to base, he'd exited the Divine, snapped a salute to his soldiers for a job well done, and fallen flat on his face, out cold from dehydration. Once they'd gotten some fluids in him, he'd picked up a med that kept things in check, and once he'd built up some confidence it proved unnecessary. Well, tonight an extra handkerchief/rag/hand towel stuffed in each pocket would have to do.

Jamil knew that she talked when she was nervous. Not a bad habit for a reporter, but less beneficial for a secret agent, even if she kept it in check when it mattered. Talking to herself, though, that took something special.

“Okay. You look great, everything's fine. Crushed it with the eyeliner. Look, they're both just as nervous, okay. You're gonna be fine, okay? They're both into you, you know that already, you dummy. I know, I know. It's fine. You're not forgetting anything, you look lovely, you're on time, okay? Okay. Alright. Okay. Okay, let's go.”

They met in the hangar by Addax’s private ship, he and Jamil arriving first. They embraced, suddenly somehow unsure for a moment if they should kiss. It was the first time they’d called what they were doing a date, and for a tedious second that overrode the fact that they’d been sleeping together periodically for several years. 

Luckily for both of them, when Jace walked in and saw them, his smile lit up the whole hangar as he made his way over. 

“You both look absolutely beautiful,” he said as he stepped up, opening his arms for a hug. They took him up at the same time, each giving him a peck on the cheek as they all pressed together.

“You too,” Addax and Jamil mumbled over each other, all three feeling their stress leak out as they remembered that this was already good, they were already going to be fine. 

As they broke off, Addax and Jamil shared a relieved look and a small kiss, feeling somewhat ridiculous for having even hesitated.

“Shall we then?” Addax asked, gesturing towards his ship. 

It was a quick hop into town. Addax had picked a Wreathen restaurant, assuring Jace and Jamil it was about as authentic as you could get without being on the planet yourself. The place was dimly lit but cozy for it, with a warmth in the air that came from comfortable conversation and well seasoned food. 

They passed the meal pleasantly enough. All three had agreed to leave work out of the conversation for the evening, even if the fresh defeat of Rigour was one of the easiest topics they could have brought up. Instead, Addax told them about the new modifications he was making to his rigger, Jamil mentioned that she'd been in contact with her friend Aria who she was hoping to introduce them to, and Jace broke the news that the doctors back at base were finally happy with his physical state, nearly two months now out of the memory den. Once their food came the conversation died down, replaced by the sounds of silverware against plates and mumbled appreciation of portions shared around the table.

When they finished, the sun was still low in the sky and the air was warm. Jamil was still the only one with an apartment in the area, rather than a 250 square foot living quarters at the base, which made her the obvious choice to invite the other two over. By the time they got there dusk was on its last legs and all three were feeling sedated from the meal. Addax and Jace slumped onto the sofa, Jace’s arm around Addax’s shoulders, as Jamil grabbed a couple drinks and snacks from the kitchen. Addax had made it perfectly clear he wasn't going to be able to sit through more than one episode of Hieron without a bowl of something crunchy in front of him, even if they'd just had dinner.

Jamil had started watching the show shortly after it had begun airing, picking up Aria’s infectious enthusiasm from when she'd auditioned and making a habit of catching up whenever she had some spare time. She'd introduced the boys to it a few weeks ago, and since then it had become a group activity. Addax had been skeptical at first, but quickly warmed up to the paladin Hadrian and the complicated relationship he was developing with his god and church. Jace meanwhile had appreciated the show from the start, and only became more enamored with it once the druid Fero learned to shift into a panther, clearly inspired by Jace’s custom rigger, and now his favorite character as well.

The last episode they’d watched had ended in a cliffhanger, with Hella Varal in a prison cell cornering her old friend Captain Calhoun. Or at least, they’d been old friends. Now it seemed less certain. Hella had recently made a pact with Tristero, god of the dead, and now she was tasked with killing his son, her friend Calhoun. The scene had faded out as he’d begun to cry, overwhelmed by the situation that had brought the two of them there and leaving all three of then worried but eager to see the conclusion.

In the show’s typical fashion, the episode after focused on another group of adventurers, leaving that dangling over the viewer’s heads. It turned out to be an intriguing interlude, focusing on an old tale about the god Samot told to several characters who had recently run into some friends after a string of bad luck. 

“I don't think he’s evil,” Addax said as he stood up to get a drink once the episode had ended.

“What? He killed another god, how is that not evil?” asked Jace, following him into the kitchen.

“Maybe we're not supposed to know,” contended Jamil, still on the sofa. “Remember the holiday special? That priest was sure evil, whether the gods are or not.”

“Samot’s definitely better than you guys are giving him credit for. He and Samothese both want to help people. Maybe he killed the Wolf God because the wolves were killing humans, we don't know.”

“Yeah we don't know, but we do know that followers of Samothes aren't allowed to like him, and meanwhile they're more or less good people.”

“If you don't both get out here and cuddle with me again I'm starting the next episode without you,” Jamil called from the other room.

Their debates ended quickly after they had snuggled back together and started the show. The same scene that had ended the last Boat Party episode played out again, a cold open and punch to the gut. Within seconds the atmosphere surrounding the trio on the sofa was tense. Calhoun had been a crowd favorite since the start of the season, and things were looking bad for him. 

Addax gasped as the lost prince and Hella exchanged blows. As her fingers closed around his throat, his legs swept from under him and his fingers grasping, desperate for air, all three viewers clung to each other tighter. When Calhoun’s body slumped to the ground, his ghost still between Hella’s hands as tears streamed down her face and half formed apologies trembled on her lips, Jace let out a sob, his fingers twining with Jamil’s and Addax’s for comfort. Jamil swore and shut her eyes as Hella’s hands clapped shut, free of any resistance. As the fighter fell to her knees, sobbing and broken, someone had the presence of mind to pause the show before they all piled into a full-body hug, tears dripping quietly onto shoulders and arms. 

They stayed like that for a moment, eyes drying and breaths evening out in each other’s arms. When they finally slowly peeled apart, not completely, just enough to see the others’ faces, Jamil quietly said, “So there’s another fifty minutes to the episode.”

The boys laughed hesitantly. 

“That was quite an intro, huh?” Jace joked gently. The theme song had only just begun when they paused the episode.

“I didn’t, um- I didn't like it, I don’t think,” replied Addax, smiling back weakly. His opinion of Calhoun had been growing over the last few episodes. Running from your godhood wasn’t exactly a common character trait, but one that Addax had found he quickly bonded with.

“I’m sorry guys,” Jamil said, hugging them each tightly in turn, “That was way worse than I expected. We don’t have to finish it now.”

That got a mumbled agreement out of Jace and Addax. They all took a moment to pick themselves up, some water splashed on a face, a nose blown, before settling back onto the sofa. Arms around waists, heads on shoulders, fingers wound together, everything felt better quickly. They sat like that and chatted for hours, sharing stories, shifting from time to time, everyone getting a spot in the middle at some point in the evening. Eventually they’d passed one too many yawns around, and Jace mentioned that they should maybe sleep before morning.

Jamil kissed them both on the cheek and invited them to stay. 

“You know, whatever way you want to take that,” she clarified with a slight flush to her cheeks. 

Jace and Addax both kissed her back, then each other. 

They did not sleep right away.

The middle of the night found them naked and exhausted. Addax and Jamil tucked against each side of Jace, one arm around him, the other reaching across him to find a hip to rest gently on. They were all warm with shared body heat and remembered friction, murmuring to each other in the dim light filtering in through the window while their pulses slowed. The nervousness from the afternoon and the heartbreak from just hours earlier were easy to leave behind here, easy as falling asleep.

Jace woke first in the morning, his stirring bringing Addax and Jamil around shortly after. They all exchanged sleepy smiles and kisses, along with one awkward laugh as Addax laid on Jace to reach Jamil. Lazy fingers on warm skin almost tempted them into being late to a meeting, but they managed to rouse themselves from the bed. Addax offered to make a quick breakfast while the others cleaned themselves up, eggs and toast and coffee, gratefully accepted by Jamil and Jace before they all left together. 

Back in the hangar they’d departed from they stole one more moment together.

“Thank you both again. I had a really nice night.” Jace was smiling, almost shy again.

“Me too. We should do this again,” said Jamil.

“Any time you two want,” Addax replied, positively beaming. 

“I’ll see you both at lunch, okay?” A kiss.

“Yeah.” Another.

“Definitely.” One more.

The warmth lasted easily until then, and long still after.


End file.
